Back to Chicago

 

There it is. And boy am I glad. 

I utterly hate, HATE that Ramona had to go through so much the last few weeks, but we know it needed to be done. Her heart was pausing for such long stretches that her heart rate was sometimes dropping to under 10 beats per minute at night. Crazy. Just crazy. The doctor said that if it got much slower than that, it could have started causing brain damage. I'm so thankful they replaced the loop recorder when they did, and I'm so thankful she has the pacemaker now (and that both are over with). I'm also thankful that God was watching over her when we didn't even know there was trouble. 

Ramona is doing really well physically. She's had very little pain (almost none), and her wounds look great. She's been more emotional and grouchy than usual, but that's understandable. She has been on a roller coaster. 

And, the ride's not over yet. The doctors here have been sending her files and pictures up to Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago, which is where she was admitted for a while when she was 1. At that time, Ramona was sent there to see if it was time to look into a transplant, but, thankfully, a medication issue was resolved and everything stabilized. She hasn't been back to Lurie's since then. With everything going on, her doctors here decided it would be good to have a team that deals with transplants take a look at her again. We will be heading back to Chicago to see a doctor there on Tuesday. So we'll see what comes of that. She isn't supposed to have any procedures done, just some of the regular testing she's used to, so that's good. 

PRAYER REQUESTS: 

- safe travels next week

- that God will continue to watch over her and that we would trust his sovereign plan

- that her heart will be healed

Here are a few more pictures from last week, if you're interested:

Video chatting with Daisy 
while waiting for discharge.
Precious.

Her prized souvenir - the loop
recorder they took back out.
She was so excited they let
her keep it! 

Home at last.
So tired; so happy.
(Sweet sign by sweet Daisy) 

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Matthew 11:28